Typical occurances of a Lit major.

I was forced to write a poem for a class. It was supposed to be about something ugly written about beautifully...or something like that. Doesn't quite fit the prompt, but this is what came out.

Indecisiveness

This sickness that spreads her fingers over your heart
Threatens to tear your life and love apart.
Ever changing, ever seeking, always
Hurting, purging, raging and frustrating.

This passionate yet misplaced cry muffles
The sound of love, joy, peace- replaced with struggles,
Tears and turmoil. The beauty of passion
Lost in your hearts indecisiveness.

the return to life love and sunshine--and lessons on being cool.

Two weeks of being back in school and San Diego have gone by and I decided I'm going to continue to write on this thing. My blog is entitled "The Distance Is What You Make It" and there is always going to be a difference between me and someone I love so I figure it always applies.

Coming back to Loma has been a great experience. I love my friends and I love my hall. I am rooming with my friend Laurel who replaced an RA on a hall full of freshman. But really, we couldn't have gotten a hall of better girls. They are the best. I've also been going to Crossfit Socal, which is about 15 minutes away from Point Loma and it has been great as well. Everyone is so kind and encouraging. Yes, I am sore all the time, but it's crossfit so that is to be expected. They have written on one of their boards at the top "Learn to love pain. This is gonna suck." So funny and so true.

But there are some things I'm starting to realize that bother me. Since when did it become cool to be more "searching" than believing? I'm not saying that it is bad to doubt. Everyone doubts, God is alright with you doubting. But I feel like all the "cool" "hipster" kids are all for social justice and being passionate, but seemed to have lost where God fits into that. When did it become awkwardly cliché to tell someone you'll pray for them? I think it was Jared at youth group last Tuesday that sad we need to be careful to not let our passion become more about that cause than about God. I feel like the hipster flag is "So much injustice in the world that we are going to scream and rail against it, but forget why and instead drink and smoke on our down time."

There is also a theme with everyone that studied abroad last semester- excluding those that went to London. It's I was rebellious and cool because I drank and saw more culture than everyone else in (insert country) and so I shall be rebellious and cool here by doing the same things. Maybe it's because the London group had rules and were together that we didn't end up that way, and if that's the case I think I am actually grateful to Ronda and Carl then.

Needless to say, we're Christians. So let's stop trying to be cool and love Jesus. Not the "Jesus" that we've created in our heads. Not the one like Franny Glass makes - one that is Jesus, Francis of Asisi all mixed together leaving out the Jesus that knocked all the temple tables over. But the one that, yes is controversial and challenging and passionate, but at the end of the day PRAYS to the Father. The Jesus that is in constant prayer for others and for himself.

Today, Pastor Dee Kelly of San Diego First Church of the Nazarene said that as Christians our call is to live in the realm of Christ's teaching, preaching and healing. That we are to teach and be taught through our experiences with God. This is why we go to church: to come together to teach and be taught.

Forgive me for this update turned rant. But I do hope if you are struggling with the task of being cool that you will take this as a challenge and not be cool.

Back home. Let's recap.

After our fun times in Paris we came back got to work and then had some more fun.

We went to the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1!!!

Where it rained while we waited.

But we got to see the beautiful Tom Felton aka Draco Malfoy (yes that's my hair...yes he is signing my journal)

Emma Watson aka Hermione Granger

Rupert Grint aka Ron Weasley.

and Matthew Lewis aka Neville Longbottom.

We went on the London Eye and saw the beautiful rainy, rainy London

and we had good times.

And it was Charity's birthday. So we sang to her on the Eye :)

Then we went to a dinner at Hatfield House, where Elizabeth I grew up.

Then I have no picture for finals week and our final nights in London. Let me just say we had a goooood time and we will never forget our experiences these past four months.

So we leave you London, satisfied but sad to go.
It is now time to relax in Oroville for about 7 weeks. Maybe have some adventures, but mostly love and be loved by some of the best people.

Something beautiful.

Love by George Herbert

Love bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,

Guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack

From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning

If I lacked anything.

"A guest," I answered, "worthy to be here":

Love said, "You shall be he."

"I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,

I cannot look on thee."

Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,

"Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord; but I have marred them; let my shame

Go where it doth deserve."

"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"

"My dear, then I will serve."

"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."

So I did sit and eat.

France with the fraansss (ahem friends)

Paris take two.
What a great weekend. It consisted of mostly eating crepes and walking. But I would say those are two of my favorite things to do in Paris. Laurel's birthday was on Saturday and it was raining all day, but we made the best of it and bought her a Longchamp coin purse and had some good quality time in a cafe.

Paris is definitely a place I could go back to multiple times. It has a great feel to it and the people are great. I would have to say it's the prettiest in fall, but I've never seen it in spring. All the trees losing their leaves were beautiful and made the feel of Paris so wonderful.

This week has been insane, but I have finally finished the last thing on my list. All I have to do is print it and slip it under Carl and Ronda's door. Then it's time to party!!/ study for finals.

November brings

November brings:
Winter & Warmth
Goodbyes & Hellos
Memories & Anticipation
November should be
renamed January.

A weekend in Wales.

It was a beautiful Autumn weekend in Cardiff, Wales as a group of 21 students from San Diego, California came to visit

We had a wonderful time exploring this country.

We fell in love.

We had fun...being our typical selves.

It was a bit damp at times, but never when we were prepared for it to be damp.

But it was a lovely weekend we had.
And so we say: Happy Fall, we miss you but will be returned to you soon.